Lawyer depression on the up

More solicitors are seeking help for stress and depression in their first few years of qualification than ever before.Counselling and advisory service SolCare is reporting an increasing number of calls from depressed and stressed junior solicitors.

Three-quarters of SolCare's cases are now depression and stress-related, compared with only 8% in 1997.SolCare co-ordinator Barry Pritchard said: 'In all of the stress cases, two-thirds are coming from solicitors who have been qualified for five years or less.' So far this year, 34 depression and stress-related cases have been reported, compared with only 11 cases that are alcohol or drug addiction-related.Mr Pritchard said many solicitors are suffering from stress and frustration because of the additional workload and uncertainty created by administrative changes such as the Woolf reforms and worries about their own professional indemnity provisions, with the end of the Solicitors Indemnity Fund (SIF).

Mr Pritchard said a high proportion of the cases come from family and criminal legal aid lawyers.

'They have had a lot to deal with,' he said.The end of the SIF is also causing uncertainty for SolCare itself, because the organisation is only able to provide its services for free with the help of SIF and Law Society funding.

It is now looking to get some extra finance from the top City firms.

Mr Pritchard said: 'We are in the process of setting up a welfare fund, but that is very much in its infancy.

We have got an initial donation from Allen & Overy, but we need more.' At the moment, the free confidential service may lead on to counselling or treatment, which is paid for by the solicitor, the National Health Service or private health insurers.But the welfare fund will be aimed at the growing number of cases that require emergency treatment.

The SolCare board had anticipated transferring funds or setting up an entirely new fund to finance the new venture.

Anne Mizzi